泽熙美文Reading Comprehension
For some people, the light of human attention has an unbearable brilliance. Like ivy along the dim edge of a garden, they prefer the social shadows, shunning parties, publicity and fame of any sort. Then there are the flowers of the human arboretum. For them, being in the view of others seems necessary for life itself. From Hollywood to fabricated prime-time reality, this spotlight-de-pendent species is thriving.
But what about the individuals who crave attention for more desperate reasons? Those who resort to unusual ways to get it? Lately, it seems, a dark bloom of these characters has emerged. For motives known only to themselves, they have won notoriety by drawing on an almost sacred well of social status: victim hood.
In early April, US national news outlets tracked the disappearance of Audrey Seiler, a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Police and hundreds of concerned citizens searched for four days before Seiler was discovered. Seiler said she was kidnapped. Within hours, however, her story fell apart. Police announced that her abduction had been a hoax. Why would a popular student make herself disappear? Her motive remains a mystery, but perhaps it had something to do with the search parties and the news bulletins that surrounded her.
Sympathy is a powerful sentiment that can connect complete strangers. But if it’s used to manipulate, the backlash can be much more intense.
In February, a Waterbury, Connecticut, man was arrested as a result of exploiting sympathy. Edward Valentin told reporters that he had received word that his wife, serving in Iraq, had been killed in an explosion. Police said Valentin admitted the fabrication, reasoning that if people felt sorry for him maybe the military would send his wife home. Evidence, however, points elsewhere.
In its extreme form, such a craving shows up in mental disorders, where sufferers may seek attention by causing themselves harm. But even when it comes with no diagnosis, a deep craving to be noticed can have a wide impact.
For these individuals, victim hood represents a “pure state of guilt-free entitlement,” said psychologist Richard Levak, of Del Mar, California. “They go from being utterly deprived to being utterly indulged. In today’s world… people have become more depressed and disconnected from each other. So you get people who crave affection and attention and approval. They don’t know how to ask for it and they don’t know how to get it. That leaves them vulnerable,” Levak said.
1. The word “arboretum” underlined in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ______.
A.botanical garden
B.zoological garden
C.orchard
D.golf course
正确答案：A
[解析] 根据文中第一段的内容“Then there are the flowers of the human arboretum”可知，植物园里有花。选项中的A项为“植物园”符合文意。B项“动物园”，C项“果园”，D项“高尔夫球场”，这三项均不符合题意。
2. According to the first paragraph, some people ______.
A.do not like to be in the spotlight
B.like the dark side of society
C.prefer the beauty of plants to people
D.avoid the media but enjoy parties
正确答案：A
[解析] 根据第一段的内容“For some people, the light of human attention has an unbearable brilliance.对于某些人来说，人类关注的光芒是难以承受的辉煌。”可知，A项“有些人不喜欢出风头”符合题意。B项“有些人喜欢社会阴暗的一面”，C项“和人相比，一些人更喜欢植物之美”，D项“一些人逃避媒体却喜欢聚会”，这三项不符合文中第一段文意。
3. The word “notoriety” underlined in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ______.
A.infamy
B.reclame
C.reputation
D.achievement
正确答案：A
[解析] 根据文中第二段的内容“they have won notoriety by drawing on an almost sacred well of social status：victim hood”可知，他们通过鼓动使得自己声名狼藉。选项中的A项为“臭名，声名狼藉”符合文意。B项“虚名，沽名钓誉”，C项“名声，声誉”，D项“成绩，成就”，这三项均不符合题意。
4. In the first two paragraphs, the rhetoric device used in the writing is ______.
A.paradox
B.analogy
C.metaphor
D.pun
正确答案：C
[解析] 根据文中第一段的内容“Like ivy along the dim edge of a garden, they prefer the social shadows, shunning parties, publicity and fame of any sort.”可知，使用了比喻的修辞方法，所以C项符合题意。A项“悖论，反论；”，B项“类比；类推；类似”，D项“双关”，这三项均不符合文意。
5. The word “abduction” underlined in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ______.
A.kidnap
B.action
C.excuse
D.plead
正确答案：A
[解析] 根据文中第三段的内容“Police announced that her abduction had been a hoax”可知，警察宣布她的绑架是一出闹剧。选项中的A项为“绑架”符合文意。B项“行为”，C项“借口”，D项“恳求”，这三项均不符合题意。
6. According to Paragraph 3, we know that Audrey Seiler ______.
A.was kidnapped
B.played a trick for publicity
C.was neglected at school
D.stayed away from the concerned citizens
正确答案：B
[解析] 根据文中第三段的内容“Within hours, however, her story fell apart. Police announced that her abduction had been a hoax.只在几个小时内，她的谎言就戳穿了了。警方宣布说，她的绑架说法一直就是欺人之谈。”可知，B项“她为了引起注意搞的恶作剧”符合题意。A项“她被绑架了”，文中说她被绑架只是一个谎言；C项“她在学校不被重视”，D项“远离社会关注”，C、D两项在文中没有明确指出。
7. The word “utterly” underlined in Paragraph 7 refers to ______.
A.completely
B.absolutely
C.silently
D.oppositely
正确答案：A
[解析] 根据文中第七段的内容“They go from being utterly deprived to being utterly indulged”可知，他们从完全剥夺转为完全沉浸其中。选项中的A项为“完全地，彻底地”符合文意。B项“绝对地”，C项“沉默地”，D项“相对地，对立地”，这三项均不符合题意。
8. Audrey Seiler did something crazy probably because she wanted to ______.
A.challenge the police
B.attract the media
C.experience an adventure
D.beat the crowd
正确答案：B
[解析] 根据文中第三段的内容“Her motive remains a mystery, but perhaps it had something to do with the search parties and the news bulletins that surrounded her.”可知，通过这句话可知，Audrey Seiler谎称自己被绑架，这件事吸引了媒体的注意，她的动机也许就在于此。据此判断，应选择B。A项“挑战警察”，C项“经历一次冒险”，D项“避开人群”，这三项根据文中第三段内容推断不出。
9. Edward Valentin made up the story in order to ______.
A.get his wife back home from Iraq
B.make people feel sorry for him
C.express deep love for his wife
D.draw attention to himself
正确答案：B
[解析] 根据文中第五段的内容“Police said Valentin admitted the fabrication, reasoning that if people felt sorry for him maybe the military would send his wife home. Evidence, however, points the
